Bordowitz generously introduces world music by editing his interviews with musicians of many cultures to read like statements from them, sans his questions and comments. The subjects, more than 60 in all, include very well-known (e.g., Gloria Estefan, Hugh Masakela, Ravi Shankar) and important but less familiar (e.g., Jimmy Cliff, Fela Kuti, Coxsone Dodd) Third World performers as well as two Americans (Michael Doucet, Paul Simon) with stakes in world music. All relate their musical passions and purposes. Burning Spear (aka Winston Rodney) and Black Uhuru's Duckie Simpson address the mainstream perception that reggae begins and ends with Bob Marley, the latter expressing resentment while Spear takes a spiritual approach to the situation. Nigeria's King Sunny Ade, hyped as the next world music superstar after Marley's demise, voices no regrets as he discusses introducing new instruments into his irresistible juju music. ... Great stuff for what the Rastas might call conscious music collections.

Mike Tribby – Booklist

Based on original interviews conducted over the last twenty years, Noise of the World spans the contributions of artists such as Nigeria's Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Senegal's Youssou N'Dour; Winston "Burning Spear" Rodney and Black Uhuru; flamenco's Jose Miguel Carmona of Ketama and La Barberia del Sur, the Klezmatics and the Klezmer Conservatory Band. The book also features artists such as the Gipsy Kings, Gloria Estefan, Hugh Masakela, and Miriam Makeba, whose music has become part of the mainstream while managing to stay true to its roots. These open and honest self-portraits will give music fans a greater appreciation of what is behind these sounds, the suffering these artists have endured, and the triumphs they have enjoyed.